Chinese state media's reporting on US President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing and his meeting with Xi Jinping has signalled a scope of cooperation between the two countries, but also laid out the red lines for the talks. Xinhua described Taiwan, democracy and human rights, China's political system and development rights as "red lines" in commentary published before the talks.
Meanwhile, People's Daily called Taiwan the "most important" and "most sensitive" issue in US-China relations. The newspaper said ties between the two countries "cannot return to the past" but could still move towards "a better future", language seen as more restrained than the warmer rhetoric used during Trump's previous state visit in 2017.
Special Coverage of Donald Trump's Visit of China:Follow Live Updates
China's Foreign Ministry also released a video entitled "Peaceful Coexistence", highlighting examples ranging from wartime cooperation to the business ties of companies such as Apple and Tesla in China. The video argued that the two countries should manage their differences rather than attempt to change one another.
Beijing has also pointed to counternarcotics efforts as an area where cooperation remains possible. A social media account linked to state broadcaster China Central Television highlighted a recent anti-drug operation involving cooperation between Chinese and American authorities, describing it as the first coordinated public release on such a case in recent years.
Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday, marking the first visit to China by a sitting US president in nearly a decade. The president pumped his fist as he descended the steps of Air Force One and walked along a red carpet lined by hundreds of young Chinese people waving flags and chanting greetings.
He was welcomed by Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng, Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, as well as a military band and honour guard.
Trump was accompanied by his son Eric Trump, daughter-in-law Lara Trump, and several technology executives, including Elon Musk and Jensen Huang. Ahead of the visit, Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping would "give me a big, fat hug when I get there".
However, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is expected to overshadow the talks, amid concerns in Washington that the US president could soften support for Taiwan in exchange for assistance from Beijing over Iran. "I don't think we need any help with Iran," Trump told reporters before leaving the White House on Tuesday. "We'll win it one way or the other – peacefully or otherwise."
He also sought to downplay tensions with China, saying Xi had been "relatively good" during the crisis and insisting that Washington had "Iran very much under control".
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
